Hinge joint for faceplate doors



G. B. THOMAS.

HlNGE JOINT FOR FACEPLATE DOORS. APPLICATION FILED use. 21, 1921.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922. 1.

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INVENTOR 650/?66 B. T/fornfls JM M ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 2?, 1922.

GEORGE E. THOMAS, OF ZBR..1I1D'3EPO1%I CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC GOTvIPANY, O1 BBIDG-EPURT, CONNECTICUT. COB-PORILTION OF CON NEC'EICUT.

HINGE JUIIET FOE.- FACEPLATE DOORS.

Application filed December 2?, 1921.

l '0 all to 710m 21% may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnoncn B. THoMAs, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinge Joints for Faceplate Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to face plates and particularly to face plates for flush receptacles. The particular object of my invention is to provide a hinge joint of improved construction, for the door which closes the opening of the face plate through which a plug or the like may be inserted into the re ceptacle.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is'a plan view of a face plate 1n which my invention is embodied 1n one form;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section therethrough;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 Fig. 1;

Fig. l is aplan view of the face plate with the door removed;

' Fig. 5 is a plan of the door detached;

Fig. 6 is a plan with the door in position for assembly and Fig. 7 is a dropped perspective of one of the detaining rivets and its associated washer.

In certain of its main features the present construction resembles that shown in the ap plication for patent by Gilbert W. Goodridge, Ser. No. 520,242, filed December 6, 1921. Thus the face plate 10 is of light weight sheet metal from which is punched the door 11, leaving the entry aperture 12 for the introduction of an attachment plug to the subjacent receptacle (not shown). The margins of the plate are angled at 13 to afford a bevelled edge, and the usual countersunk screw holes let are provided in the body of the plate.

As in the Goodridge constructionthe butt end 15 of the door 11 has integral hinge lugs 16 outstanding from its opposite sides, and the corresponding bay 17 of the door opening 12 has recesses or slots 18 formed by the striking out of the lugs 16. To afford suitable hinge studs, the latter are rounded by any suitable forming operation.

Serial No. 524,970.

According to the present invention the hinge oint is made by cutting off the ends of the lugs 16 sutficiently to aflord a passage 19 (Fig. 6) between their ends and the ends of the recesses 18. The original length of the lugs 16 is indicated in Fig. 5 by dotted lines. Through the passages 19 thus afiorded, the shank of a rivet 20 is passed. The head 21 of the rivet is of sufficient extent to overlie the adjacent end of the lug 16 as well as the surrounding portion of the plate body. Preferably the head of the rivet overlies the outer face of the plate. A washer 22 underlying the plate receives the projecting shank of the rivet, which is spread to hold the washer in position. The hinge lugs 16 are thus confined laterally by walls of the slots 18 and above and below by the head of the rivet and its associated washer respectively. The joint is thus stronger than the plate itself, no deformation of the latter is necessary to form the bearing for the door lugs, which as in the Goodridge construction, lie in the plane of the plate.

@bviously the studs may be formed on the plate and the recesses in the butt of the door, if preferred, in which case the rivets would he carried by the door instead of the plate. Furthermore, the construction is applicable to any structure in which a hinge joint of this character is suitable and the invention is not limited in its utility to face plates for el ctric outlets.

Various modifications in detailed embodiment of the underlying principle of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art without departing from what I claim in my invention.

I claim:

1. A. hinge joint of the type described, comprising an apertured plate, a door adapted to close the aperture in the plate, laterally projecting. hinge lugs on one of said members, the other of said members being recessed to receive said lugs, said recesses being of greater extent than said lugs, in combination with means passing through said recesses and secured to the recessed member and serving to hold said hinge lugs comprising an apertured plate, a door adapted to close the aperture in the plate, laterally projecting hinge lugs on oneof" said members, the other of said members being recessed to receive said lugs, said recesses being of greater extent than said lugs, in combination With rivets passing through said recesses beyond the ends of the hinge lugs and having associated abutments overlying the opposite faces of the recessed member and the ends of the hinge lugs to secure the latter in the recesses.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE 1E. THOMAS. 

